No Space - Makes no sense

[MrCatMan]

Hi

I have recently upgraded from an iMac to a new mac mini.

I thought I was being clever so I bought a 8gb Ram mac mini server edition with 256g gb SSD and a 750gb second HD built in. The OS was pre installed to the SSD as I thought it would be quick.

Copying all my files and apps to the mac mini from the iMac has caused the SSD to fill up and it stops the machine from running.

I have a macbook air with 256gb of Ram and it has loads of space in it I cant find out what is using the space.

How do I find out and what is the best set up and what is using up the space.

My set up is that I have about 2000 films on a drobo. They are all ok also my music is on the drobo and on iTunes Match.

I have also got about 20000 pictures which I think are now on the second hard drive (also backed up on another external hard drive)

Help me get organised! I would say that I am a mid level user. An expert as far as my friends are concerned but generally stupid!

Thanks

Paul

 

[0000757]

Hi

I have recently upgraded from an iMac to a new mac mini.

I thought I was being clever so I bought a 8gb Ram mac mini server edition with 256g gb SSD and a 750gb second HD built in. The OS was pre installed to the SSD as I thought it would be quick.

Copying all my files and apps to the mac mini from the iMac has caused the SSD to fill up and it stops the machine from running.

I have a macbook air with 256gb of Ram and it has loads of space in it I cant find out what is using the space.

How do I find out and what is the best set up and what is using up the space.

My set up is that I have about 2000 films on a drobo. They are all ok also my music is on the drobo and on iTunes Match.

I have also got about 20000 pictures which I think are now on the second hard drive (also backed up on another external hard drive)

Help me get organised! I would say that I am a mid level user. An expert as far as my friends are concerned but generally stupid!

Thanks

Paul

Are you copying it to the 256gb or the 750gb? Can you open disk utility and show us the partitions on both drives?

 

[GGJstudios]

I have a macbook air with 256gb of Ram and it has loads of space in it I cant find out what is using the space.

How do I find out and what is the best set up and what is using up the space.

For space issues, there are a few things you can try:

• Begin by restarting your computer as a first step. This sometimes resolves issues.
• For Time Machine users on Lion, space may being consumed by Time Machine local snapshots, which can be disabled.
  OS X Lion: About Time Machine's "local snapshots" on portable Macs
• Search with Finder to see if the space is being consumed by a very large file or several large files. Adjust the 50GB in the illustration to whatever size you deem appropriate.
  
  
• Use OmniDiskSweeper, JDisk Report or GrandPerspective to see how space is being used on your drive. Some of these apps may show more detail than others, so try several.

 

[Ccrew]

I have a macbook air with 256gb of Ram and it has loads of space in it I cant find out what is using the space.

I would say that I am a mid level user.

I'd say that prolly not a mid level user if you think hard drive space = RAM

 

[MrCatMan]

I'd say that prolly not a mid level user if you think hard drive space = RAM

Thanks for your help and support.

 

[philipma1957]

so your mac mini had factory ssd of 256gb and factory hdd of 750gb and factory 8gb ram purchased in the uk?

You then set this all up and don't like what you did to it? I wish you had came onto the website before you did this. You made a mess that will be hard to fix and you spent quite a bit of money.

One question can you return this to your apple store? Sounds like it is custom and you are stuck with this machine.

the setup lists for 1449 BP you don't need it. what kind of drobo do you have and how is it connected to your setup.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Move everything from your Documents, Music, Videos, and Pictures folders from the SSD to the 750 GB drive. Install large applications (If you have Photoshop or the like, large games, etc,) to the 750 GB drive instead of the SSD.

There are even advanced methods you can use to move your entire /Users folder to the other drive, but those are not for the faint of heart.

 

[MrCatMan]

so your mac mini had factory ssd of 256gb and factory hdd of 750gb and factory 8gb ram purchased in the uk?

You then set this all up and don't like what you did to it? I wish you had came onto the website before you did this. You made a mess that will be hard to fix and you spent quite a bit of money.

One question can you return this to your apple store? Sounds like it is custom and you are stuck with this machine.

the setup lists for 1449 BP you don't need it. what kind of drobo do you have and how is it connected to your setup.

I don't want to return it. I want to make it work. The Drobo is connected by fw800. I am pretty sure there are some hidden files using up space as equivalent apps on my MBA uses only about 120gb on the SSD.


I did come to this website before buying. I wanted a SSD to Run the OS and a big hard drive to look after the rest. I also wanted 8gb of RAM so had to order the server edition. (one of ) My mistake was thinking the drives would interact as one and when I copied my content from the IMac (320gb) it would just take care of it as though it was one big disk. Clearly I was wrong. So I had to squeeze 320 gig into 256 and shuffle about.

To facilitate this I had to buy another hard drive and copy my photos over and in the process have totally messed up my photo albums.


It's all there somewhere. I just need to spend time sorting it. There's the problem. The reason I bought a mini was I had no space for the IMac as I needed it for a playpen. Just had twins and so don't have the time to figure it out. Wanted a helping hand so asked here.

Thanks to those that have offered advice.

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Move everything from your Documents, Music, Videos, and Pictures folders from the SSD to the 750 GB drive. Install large applications (If you have Photoshop or the like, large games, etc,) to the 750 GB drive instead of the SSD.

There are even advanced methods you can use to move your entire /Users folder to the other drive, but those are not for the faint of heart.

Ok. This is helpful. Wasn't sure if I was on safe ground moving applications. I have Aperture. Are there any obvious places for hidden or temp files?

Is there a way of searching for all image files or movies formats?

 

[srf4real]

Is there a way of searching for all image files or movies formats?

The finder window search bar.. yes. Type in the file extensions (.jpg,.tiff,.mov.. etc.) and you will narrow down files to these file types. I still can't figure out if your real problem is that you tried to cram the contents of a larger iMac hdd onto a your 256GB ssd. If so, you need to move it back off to the secondary 750GB hdd and leave your ssd for apps and system support only. This will greatly improve your computer using experience.

 

[MrCatMan]

The finder window search bar.. yes. Type in the file extensions (.jpg,.tiff,.mov.. etc.) and you will narrow down files to these file types. I still can't figure out if your real problem is that you tried to cram the contents of a larger iMac hdd onto a your 256GB ssd. If so, you need to move it back off to the secondary 750GB hdd and leave your ssd for apps and system support only. This will greatly improve your computer using experience.

Thanks. that's my problem. I messed up and since have tried moving files etc to the 750gb but even though I have done that I think I should have about 100gb left on the SSD but I am still full so I wondered if any hidden files may exist.

 

[srf4real]

Thanks. that's my problem. I messed up and since have tried moving files etc to the 750gb but even though I have done that I think I should have about 100gb left on the SSD but I am still full so I wondered if any hidden files may exist.

Once moving the larger files off the 250GB ssd, delete them and empty trash. The free space will not appear until you do this..

 

[MrCatMan]

Once moving the larger files off the 250GB ssd, delete them and empty trash. The free space will not appear until you do this..

Now I am getting frustrated. I have moved all the pictures, movies and music off of the SSD and shut down the machine.

I downloaded the OMNI app that analyses the hard drive and it says that there are no large apps on the SSD but I moved Aperture and a few others to the 750gig for good measure.

When I look at the system profiler it says I have 220+gb listed as "Other" they are not shown in the omni thing so am very confused.

Even if I don't add any more documents it seems to fill up?

Any ideas?

----------

Now I am getting frustrated. I have moved all the pictures, movies and music off of the SSD and shut down the machine.

I downloaded the OMNI app that analyses the hard drive and it says that there are no large apps on the SSD but I moved Aperture and a few others to the 750gig for good measure.

When I look at the system profiler it says I have 220+gb listed as "Other" they are not shown in the omni thing so am very confused.

Even if I don't add any more documents it seems to fill up?

Any ideas?

I have emptied the trash and switched on / off

 

[srf4real]

Have you tried opening a Finder window in folder view, and checking the view option to estimate size of all folders and files? This will show you what is taking up all that space and where to look.

Are you aware that Aperture library can be taking up all that space even if the app is on a different drive.. unless you've deleted the original Aperture library and assigned it to a different drive in Aperture preferences. Adobe Photoshop also keeps a cache up to 200GB depending on your settings.

Do the view like this image.. and you will find what is taking up the extra space.

Be sure to check View>View options, set to estimate all sizes.

 

[philipma1957]

okay here is the fix you need any external usb fw800 t-bolt does not matter. just has to be more then the size of the 256gb ssd. 320gb or 500gb will do.

attach it empty but formatted to the mini. turn the mini off boot the mini with your finger pressed on the option key of the keyboard when it comes up as to choice of boot drives one will be recovery drive pick it. make sure the mini is attached to the net.

now do a fresh install to the external hdd.

when done it will take time(2 or more hours). you will have your ssd your 750 internal and your external lion osx.

boot with the external make sure it works.

now that you are sure your external works as a boot drive let us know. that you can boot with it.

if you can you can use it to erase all of the ssd and all of the 750gb hdd.

(remember you still have all your stuff on the imac) you can now start from scratch .

you can copy the external boot drive to the ssd (using super duper) and test the ssd to see if it boots.

this is why I was a bit nasty in my prior post as the correct fix takes a long time..

It involves fully erasing the mini's drives. It involves making an external boot drive and



it supposes you have not erased your imac's info.


you can muddle around the way you have been for the last few days but once you do this type of foul up starting from the beginning is best.

 

[MrCatMan]

okay here is the fix you need any external usb fw800 t-bolt does not matter. just has to be more then the size of the 256gb ssd. 320gb or 500gb will do.

attach it empty but formatted to the mini. turn the mini off boot the mini with your finger pressed on the option key of the keyboard when it comes up as to choice of boot drives one will be recovery drive pick it. make sure the mini is attached to the net.

now do a fresh install to the external hdd.

when done it will take time(2 or more hours). you will have your ssd your 750 internal and your external lion osx.

boot with the external make sure it works.

now that you are sure your external works as a boot drive let us know. that you can boot with it.

if you can you can use it to erase all of the ssd and all of the 750gb hdd.

(remember you still have all your stuff on the imac) you can now start from scratch .

you can copy the external boot drive to the ssd (using super duper) and test the ssd to see if it boots.

this is why I was a bit nasty in my prior post as the correct fix takes a long time..

It involves fully erasing the mini's drives. It involves making an external boot drive and



it supposes you have not erased your imac's info.


you can muddle around the way you have been for the last few days but once you do this type of foul up starting from the beginning is best.

I have read the posts thanks. Can someone tell me why in searching for files on the SSD I can only find 30gig of used space, have moved all content and why the SSD is still virtually full at 253used? Where can the files be? What could these "other" files be?

 

[GGJstudios]

I have read the posts thanks. Can someone tell me why in searching for files on the SSD I can only find 30gig of used space, have moved all content and why the SSD is still virtually full at 253used? Where can the files be? What could these "other" files be?

For space issues, there are a few things you can try:

• Begin by restarting your computer as a first step. This sometimes resolves issues.
• For Time Machine users on Lion, space may being consumed by Time Machine local snapshots, which can be disabled.
  OS X Lion: About Time Machine's "local snapshots" on portable Macs
• Search with Finder to see if the space is being consumed by a very large file or several large files. Adjust the 50GB in the illustration to whatever size you deem appropriate.
  
  
• Use OmniDiskSweeper, JDisk Report or GrandPerspective to see how space is being used on your drive. Some of these apps may show more detail than others, so try several.